Quiz: Howstuffworks

Tell Us About Your Childhood and We'll Guess Which Generation You Were Raised By

Emily Maggrett

Image: J J D/Cultura/Getty Images

About This Quiz

When you were a kid, were you addicted to Nickelodeon shows or "Leave It to Beaver"? Did your parents drive '57 Chevys or Honda minivans? Were you allowed to walk to and from your friends' houses? Did you dream of someday kissing Shaun Cassidy, or did you think of Tony Curtis as Mr. Right?

In this quiz, we want to know all about your childhood. Believe it or not, there's a big difference between how kids were brought up in the 1960s and how they were brought up in the 1980s. How could things change so quickly? Chalk it up to major contrasts in parenting philosophy between the generations. For example, Gen Xers tend to be helicopter parents — perhaps because their baby boomer parents raised them as latchkey kids. Boomers themselves, on the other hand, were raised by the silent generation, who placed a huge value on personal responsibility. Maybe that's why baby boomers encouraged their Gen X and millennial kids to care so much about personal expression instead!

If you're curious about whether your childhood matches your parents' generational attitudes, this is the quiz for you! Tell us all about your childhood games, rules and habits, and we'll guess which generation your parents came from. Ready for a trip down memory lane? It's time to play this quiz!

Did you go to preschool?

Of course!

I had a babysitter.

Preschool didn't exist when I was a kid.

I went to day care; is that the same thing?

What kind of milk did you drink?

We're a soy milk family (although sometimes we drink hazelnut milk as a treat).

My mom bought 2%.

The milkman delivered fresh bottles to our front door.

We drank both 2% and soy milk.

If you were in a committed relationship in high school, did you call it "going steady"?

Nope!

Yeah (but kind of sarcastically).

Yes, definitely

You didn't say that; you said you were "together."

How did you get to school?

My dad or mom went through the school drop-off line.

I walked to school.

I rode my bike to school (without a helmet).

I took the school bus.

Did your mom stay at home? When she was at home, did she wear an apron?

My mom stayed at home the first year I was born, but she's never worn an apron in her life.

My mom worked. Sometimes she'd wear an apron, but it was usually ironically.

My mom didn't work, and yes, she wore an apron. It was functional and kept her dresses from getting stained.

My mom started working part-time when I was in elementary school, then she started working full-time. She wore an apron when she baked.

What was your favorite candy?

Jelly Bellys

Ring Pops

Hershey's Bar

Snickers

Looking back, do you realize that some of the thing your parents let you do were actually dangerous?

My parents coddled me; I wasn't allowed to do anything risky.

I probably shouldn't have been allowed to cook until I was 12.

Haha, almost everything my parents let me do was dangerous.

Well, they used to let me jump on a trampoline with no safety net.

What kind of technology did you use to write school essays?

Laptop computer

Typewriter

Pen and paper

Desktop computer

How were you punished?

If I did something wrong, my parents asked me why I had done it and we talked it out.

My parents would give me extra chores.

If I was really bad, I got a spanking.

I had to stand in the corner.

On a typical weeknight, what did you eat for dinner?

Grilled chicken, green beans, quinoa

Spaghetti and meatballs

Casserole, Brussels sprouts, peach pie

Barbecue chicken pizza or fajitas

When you took car trips, were you buckled in?

We had to sit in car seats until we were 11.

Our parents told us to wear seat belts, but it wasn't a big deal if we didn't.

Nope. We just kind of slid around in the back seat.

We had to buckle up; it was the law!

Do you remember watching TGIF?

Isn't that a yogurt place?

I think my little brother used to watch that.

What's that?

Of course! I still hum the "Step by Step" theme in the shower.

Were you allowed to go play without an adult being present?

No. My mom, dad or another adult was usually around to keep an eye on things.

From third grade on, I rarely had adult supervision after school (and it ruled).

I was, but between chores and homework, I often didn't have time to play.

I wasn't totally supervised, but my schedule was loaded with extracurriculars, so I didn't "just play" very often.

As a teenager, what was your curfew?

11 p.m. and I always obeyed it.

Midnight, but my parents didn't notice if I broke it.

11 p.m., but I usually snuck out afterwards.

Midnight, but if I had to leave a party early, I'd just AIM my parents.

Did you play any sports?

I'm not really a sports person.

I played baseball, kickball, football, tennis ...

I played baseball and football.

I played tons of soccer.

What was your parents' most annoying habit?

I think they used to snoop through my phone.

They rarely cooked dinner; instead they told me to "go forage in the cabinets."

They hated my music and called my idols "long-hairs."

They loved to nag me about things I hadn't gotten to yet: my homework, the dishes ...

If you wanted to call your grandmother long-distance, did it cost extra money?

Why would long-distance calls cost extra money?

Oh yes, it was incredibly expensive.

It was expensive, but the land line audio quality was A LOT better.

I think it cost a little extra, but at some point, it became free.

What kind of clothes did you wear?

Head-to-toe Forever 21

Striped T-shirts, jeans and Converse

Slacks and dress shirts with loafers, or plaid skirts and blouses with Mary Janes

Polo shirts or multiple tank tops with flared jeans and Keds

Did you have to eat margarine on your toast?

What is this "margarine" you speak of?

Sometimes we ate margarine to save money.

We ate butter and we loved it.

We ate margarine for health reasons, before they found out it's not good for you.

How were you educated about your reproductive health?

I received excellent comprehensive education about my reproductive health.

Our gym teacher gave us "health" classes, but they were kind of a joke.

I wasn't! My parents and pastor just told me not to engage in premarital activities.

Both my parents and my school gave me a lot of information (sometimes, it was TMI).

What was your favorite game?

Red Dead Redemption

Monopoly

Capture the flag

Super Mario

Did the teachers make you shower after gym class?

I've never showered at school.

Of course, starting in fourth grade.

Yes. Otherwise, we would have stunk!

Showers were optional at my school.

How did your grandparents dress?

My grandparents wear the same stuff as my parents.

My grandparents wore crazy clothes: caftans, track suits ...

My grandfather always had on a suit and tie, and my grandmother wore dresses with hose and heels.

My grandparents dress like hippies.

When your mom was pregnant with you, did she smoke or drink?

She didn't smoke, drink or eat sushi.

Every once in a while, she drank a glass of wine.

Well ... yes. She didn't know the risks.

She smoked a cigarette a few times.

How were your family's groceries delivered?

We used to go to Costco, but now we order groceries online.

My mom paid the grocery store to deliver them.

The milkman, butcher and greengrocer all stopped by the house.

We didn't have groceries delivered; my parents drove to the store themselves.

Did you ever come home to an empty house?

Rarely

All the time

Never

Sometimes

Which musicians were usually on the radio?

Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars

Madonna, Reba McEntire, Michael Jackson

The Four Tops, Elvis, The Beatles

Weezer, Nirvana, No Doubt

On Sundays, did you go to church?

We only went to church on Christmas and Easter.

Not usually, but sometimes

Yes, but my parents had to drag me.

Either my parents were really religious or they were total atheists.

How did you feel about Marcia Brady?

Who?

She's a stone fox.

Seems nice enough?

Three words: Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!

Of all these movies, which one best captures your childhood experience?

"Boyhood"

"The Ice Storm"

"Stand by Me"

"The Sandlot"

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